20 Examples of Neurotic Behavior

Neurotic
people
find
themselves
overthinking,
overworrying,
unable
to
let
things
go,
or
preoccupied
with
their
health,
their
job,
or
the
opinions
of
their
friends
and
loved
ones.
Everyone
has
quirks,
but
neuroses
interfere
with
work,
relationships,
and
your
overall
state
of
mind.
"You're
neurotic!"
is
often
used
as
an
insult,
but
it's
actually
a
mental
health
descriptor.
Being
neurotic
is
not
easy,
but
there
is
plenty
of
hope.
There
are
ways
to
manage
neuroses,
and
one
of
the
most
important
is
seeing
a
therapist
to
gain
emotional
insight.
Before
we
get
there,
let's
explore
what
it
means
to
have
neuroses.

Identifying Examples Of Neurotic Behavior Can Help You Learn How To Cope

Neuroticism
is
no
longer
a
diagnosis.
It's
a
descriptor
used
for
parts
of
many
different
disorders,
and
neurotic
behavior
can
indicate
bigger
issues.
Some
examples
of
neurotic
behavior
include,
obsessing
over
what
others
think
or
having
a
more
anxious
temperament
than
others.
Someone
who
struggles
with
neuroses
may
have
difficulty
when
they
make
mistakes
at
school
or
work.
They
might
be
critical
of
themselves
and
others
as
well.

"Did
I
do
something
wrong?
Is
everything
okay?"

A
hallmark
sign
of
neuroses
is
chronic
worrying.
Worrying
can
be
a
sign
of
anxiety,
but
it
also
indicates
neuroses.
A
neurotic
person
worries
about
their
behavior
and
how
others
see
them.
They
are
fearful
that
others
dislike
them,
so
they
might
ask
for
reassurance
a
lot.
It
can
be
distressing
to
those
around
them
when
they
are
constantly
asking,
"Did
I
do
something
wrong?
Is
everything
okay."
It's
normal
to
worry,
but
when
your
work
or
relationships
suffer
from
worry,
it
can
be
a
sign
of
neuroticism.

The
Positivity
behind
Neuroticism

Researcher
Richard
Zinbarg
discovered
that
neurotic
people
are
also
highly
sensitive
and
empathetic.
They
might
be
vulnerable
to
anxiety
and
depression,
but
they
also
pick
up
on
their
friend's
feelings
and
want
to
help.
Being
anxious
or
neurotic
doesn't
make
you
"bad;"
it's
a
way
of
operating.
You
worry
about
the
feelings
of
others,
and
you
want
to
help
them
feel
better.
From
one
perspective,
this
sensitivity
is
a
positive
trait.

Neurotic
Behavior

Many
people
do
not
recognize
their
neurotic
behavior
or
temperament.
Furthermore,
each
person
might
have
a
particular
neurosis,
but
some
people
behave
more
neurotically
than
others.
Being
neurotic
is
best
defined
by
behavior.
A
few
of
the
examples
can
be
harmless
when
mild,
but
others
can
be
dangerous.
Take
a
look
at
the
twenty
examples
of
neurotic
behavior
below.
Maybe
you
exhibit
some
of
these
behaviors,
and
you
didn't
even
know
it.
But
don't
sweat
it.
After
all,
recognizing
a
problem
is
the
first
step
toward
solving
it.

Examples
of
Neurotic
Behavior

Whether
you
exhibit
these
behaviors
or
not,
you
probably
see
them
often
in
your
day-to-day
life.

General
Irritability

The
proverbial
crabby
neighbor
is
displaying
neurotic
behavior
when
they
routinely
complain
about
minor
issues.
When
they're
constantly
nagging
you
to
be
quiet,
to
stay
away
from
their
property
line,
or
to
keep
your
kids
off
their
sidewalk,
they
may
be
showing
you
their
neurotic
side.

Source:
unsplash.com

Complaining
About
Physical
Symptoms
Without
A
Medical
Cause

Plenty
of
neurotic
behavior
comes
in
the
form
of
mysterious
complaints
about
physical
symptoms
that
have
no
medical
cause.
When
someone
with
no
diagnosable
illness
talks
a
lot
about
their
bodily
symptoms,
they
annoy
others.
Their
relationships
may
suffer
from
their
neuroticism.

Road
Rage

People
with
road
rage
are
displaying
neurotic
behavior.
After
all,
people
make
mistakes
while
driving.
Some
of
them
end
in
wrecks,
but
more
often
than
not,
they
correct
themselves
and
get
back
to
driving
well
enough.
Over
the
top
anger
at
minor
mistakes
is
a
clear
sign
of
neurotic
behavior.

Anxiety
About
Your
Child's
Safety

Parental
neuroses
over
the
common
risks
children
take
can
result
in
"helicopter
parenting."
Though
they
may
be
well
intentioned,
these
parents
do
not
create
the
conditions
for
a
normal
childhood.
The
parents'
obsession
with
safety
results
in
miserable,
anxious,
and
self-conscious
children.

Being
Overly
Aware
of
Psychological
Problems

Ironically,
people
can
know
full
well
that
they're
displaying
neurotic
symptoms,
but
they
still
behave
that
way
anyway.
Being
obsessed
with
their
mental
health
can
make
their
problems
even
worse.
Of
course,
if
you
are
troubled
by
serious
symptoms,
it's
important
to
seek
help.
Even
then,
you
don't
have
to
analyze
yourself
at
every
turn.

Emotional
Distress
Over
Everyday
Events

It's
perfectly
normal
to
be
upset
when
bad
things
happen,
but
it's
unreasonable
to
get
upset
over
something
minor.
Breaking
a
fingernail,
spilling
your
breakfast
cereal,
or
being
ten
minutes
late
to
meet
a
friend
are
all
examples
of
common
problems.
There's
no
need
for
something
minor
to
ruin
your
day.

Guilty
Behavior

People
who
are
prone
to
neurotic
behavior
often
show
signs
that
they're
feeling
excessively
guilty
over
things
that
aren't
their
fault.
Or
they
behave
guiltily
when
what
they've
done
is
so
minor
that
no
one
even
noticed
it.
They
may
apologize
profusely
or
avoid
eye
contact
because
of
this
guilt.

Obsessive
Thinking
or
Ruminating

Obsessive
thinking
is
not
only
neurotic
behavior,
but
it
can
also
lead
to
depression.
When
you
often
ruminate
about
things
you
should
have
done
differently
or
about
minor
problems
in
your
life,
other
types
of
neurotic
behavior
can
follow.

Perfectionism

Most
people
want
to
do
well
in
whatever
they
do.
There's
a
difference
between
that
and
feeling
you
must
do
everything
perfectly.
People
who
are
perfectionists
usually
spend
more
time
than
necessary
completing
tasks
because
they're
determined
to
avoid
making
a
mistake.

Dependency

Being
too
dependent
on
others
to
meet
your
daily
needs
can
cause
a
variety
of
neurotic
behaviors.
For
example,
rather
than
doing
something
for
yourself,
you
whine
about
your
problems
hoping
someone
else
will
solve
them.
You
wait
for
others
to
do
things
for
you
when
you
could
be
taking
care
of
your
own
needs.
You
become
clingy
and,
at
the
same
time,
irresponsible.

Trouble
Getting
Along
at
Work

People
who
behave
in
neurotic
ways
typically
have
trouble
getting
along
with
others
at
work.
Social
neurotic
behaviors
like
being
needy,
whiny,
dependent,
or
argumentative
can
take
a
toll
on
your
business
relationships
and
keep
you
from
succeeding
at
work.

Identifying Examples Of Neurotic Behavior Can Help You Learn How To Cope

Neuroticism
can
even
keep
you
from
taking
care
of
your
basic
needs.
If
you
feel
unwarranted
sadness
or
anxiousness,
you
may
find
it
difficult
to
complete
routine
personal
care
tasks
like
bathing
and
grooming.
You
may
also
have
trouble
sticking
to
a
healthy
eating
plan
or
getting
enough
sleep
because
every
little
disturbance
makes
you
feel
anxious
and
overwhelmed.

Relationship
Problems

Relationship
problems
are
common
for
people
who
behave
in
neurotic
ways.
They
might
nag,
whine,
and
expect
their
partner
to
do
things
they
could
do
for
themselves.
They
may
try
to
control
their
partner,
or
they
may
accuse
them
of
being
unfaithful
without
any
evidence
of
cheating.

Being
a
"Drama
Queen."

The
term
"drama
queen"
is
very
popular,
especially
on
social
media.
A
drama
queen
can
be
anyone,
male
or
female,
who
stirs
up
controversy
among
their
friends
or
makes
a
big
show
of
emotion
about
minor
incidents.
When
you
make
everything
a
big,
dramatic
production,
you
not
only
make
yourself
miserable,
but
you
also
disrupt
others'
ability
to
have
a
peaceful
day.

Excessive
Sadness
Over
Minor
Events

There's
nothing
mentally
unhealthy
about
being
sad
over
a
major
loss.
However,
sadness,
crying,
or
staying
in
bed
over
small
setbacks
can
indicate
neurotic
behavior.
Maybe
you
lost
the
pen
you
used
to
sign
the
mortgage
on
your
first
house.
Maybe
your
child
showed
a
new
sign
of
maturity.
A
moment
of
sadness
might
come,
but
when
you
foster
it
and
let
it
grow
until
it
affects
your
functioning
or
temperament,
that's
neurotic
behavior.

Envious
Behavior

People
who
display
neuroticism
are
often
very
envious
of
others.
You
want
to
have
the
possessions
that
others
have.
You
want
to
have
their
opportunities
or
advantages.
You
want
to
be
them.
You
express
these
desires
with
neurotic
behaviors
like
sabotaging,
begging
others
to
give
you
what
they
have,
or
even
stealing.

Reacting
Negatively
to
Neutral
Events

Sometimes,
the
event
that
upsets
you
is
neutral,
but
you
react
with
a
habitual
negative
response.
For
instance,
your
mail
carrier
might
place
a
package
on
your
doorstep
rather
than
knocking
first
to
get
your
attention.
If
you
get
upset
anyway,
even
though
you
heard
the
carrier,
saw
the
carrier,
and
received
the
package
without
a
hiccup,
then
this
a
clear
sign
of
neurotic
behavior

Panicking
in
Relatively
Non-Threatening
Situations

It's
natural
to
panic
in
threatening
situations.
It's
part
of
your
ingrained
fight-or-flight
response.
However,
if
that
response
system
kicks
in
when
nothing
is
threatening
in
your
environment,
neuroticism
is
likely
prompting
your
unnecessary
panic.

Displaying
Emotional
Instability

Because
you're
so
easily
thrown
off
balance
by
even
the
smallest
events
and
circumstances,
you
behave
in
unstable
ways.
You
may
seem
to
be
doing
fine
one
minute
and
then
get
angry
the
next;
this
might
be
followed
by
sadness
a
few
minutes
later.
No
one
can
count
on
you,
and
all
of
your
relationships
suffer.

Inability
to
Function
in
Everyday
Life
After
an
Unrelated
Trauma

PTSD
could
be
considered
a
type
of
neurotic
behavior.
You
may
have
had
terrifying
experiences
in
a
war,
and
if
the
sound
of
fireworks
going
off
triggers
a
relapse,
then
you
have
experienced
a
neurotic
episode.
Similarly,
you
may
have
been
abused
by
a
parent
when
you
were
a
child,
and
if
you
feel
scared
when
you
are
alone
around
another
adult,
then
you
might
be
experiencing
neuroticism.

What
Does
Neurotic
Behavior
Indicate?

Again,
neuroticism
is
no
longer
a
diagnosis;
it
is
a
type
of
behavior
that
requires
further
analysis.
If
you
habitually
behave
in
neurotic
ways,
then
you
might
have
a
serious
mental
health
condition,
such
as
depression,
anxiety,
borderline
personality
disorder,
bipolar
disorder,
or
rage
disorder,
to
name
a
few.
Doctors
no
longer
talk
much
about
neuroses,
but
they
can
help
you
if
your
neurotic
behavior
is
habitual
and
extreme.

Neurotic
behaviors
are
difficult
to
change
by
yourself,
and
you
may
need
to
get
help
to
overcome
them.
This
is
especially
important
because,
according
to
a
2002
study,
people
who
engage
in
neurotic
behaviors
are
more
likely
to
develop
psychotic
symptoms.

Treatment
for
neurotic
behaviors
might
include
anything
from
meditation
to
cognitive
behavior
therapy.
Behavior
therapy
that
includes
instruction
and
reinforcement
has
been
shown
to
change
neurotic
behavior
as
well.

You
can
talk
to
a
licensed
counselor
for
help
with
neurotic
behavior
and
other
mental
health
issues
by
contacting
BetterHelp.com
for
online
therapy.
Counseling
happens
at
your
convenience,
when
and
where
it
works
best
for
you.
Check
out
some
review
of
BetterHelp
counselors
below,
from
people
experiencing
similar
issues.

Counselor
Reviews

"I
love
that
Dr.
Bermudez
is
a
neuropsychology
researcher.
Having
studied
a
variety
of
philosophies
and
techniques,
her
recommendations
are
based
on
evidence
and
studied
practices.
I
trust
that
I
will
always
get
the
greatest
and
latest,
the
tested
and
true."

"Working
with
Patrice
has
been
a
joy
for
me.
I've
begun
the
long
journey
during
a
rough
patch
getting
myself
back.
And
better.
She
has
helped
me
to
be
stronger
and
more
able
mentally
than
I
was
previously,
to
combat
the
negative
thoughts
and
emotions
and
begin
to
think
with
gratitude.
Big
thanks
to
her
for
all
her
work!"

FAQs

Does
Being
Neurotic
Come
From
Mental
Health
Problems?

There
are
many
mental
health
issues
that
can
come
from
a
neurotic
personality.
As
someone
with
neuroticism
tends
to
overthink,
obsessive
compulsive
disorder
could
stem
from
neuroticism.
Someone
with
neuroticism
may
be
extra
anxious,
which
means
that
they
may
have
some
form
of
generalized
anxiety
disorder.

This
is
a
bit
of
a
chicken
and
egg
situation,
as
sometimes,
the
neurotic
personality
can
lead
to
mental
illnesses,
but
some
illnesses
can
make
you
more
neurotic.

Can
You
Have
Good
Mental
Health
as
a
Neurotic
Person?

When
you're
neurotic,
you
could
be
at
risk
for
more
mental
problems,
but
many
people
can
keep
their
mental
health
up
with
enough
techniques.
Some
of
these
techniques
include:

Exercising.
Working
out
can
make
you
feel
better
and
help
you
relieve
some
of
your
pent-up
emotions.
Your
brain
releases
endorphins,
which
improve
mood.

Get
plenty
of
rest.
Practice
good
sleep
hygiene
before
bed
and
don't
go
to
sleep
while
you're
too
wound-up.

Seek
help
from
a
therapist
or
counselor
if
you
feel
like
your
neurotic
personality
needs
an
intervention.

Conclusion

You
don't
need
to
let
your
neurotic
behavior
get
in
the
way
of
a
healthy
and
fulfilling
life.
With
the
right
tools,
you
can
begin
your
journey
to
balance.
Take
the
first
step
today.

Related Articles

The information on this page is not intended to be a substitution for diagnosis, treatment, or informed professional advice. You should not take any action or avoid taking any action without consulting with a qualified mental health professional. For more information, please read our terms of use.

Your session is about to expire!

You will be logged out in seconds.

If you are in a crisis or any other person may be in danger - don't use this site. These resources can provide you with immediate help.